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‘Honest and genuine reviews are a must to consider the pros and cons of any instrument’

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Virender Singh shares his work, his average day, and favorite piece of laboratory equipment

31 Mar 2021
Diane Li
Assistant Editor

Editorial article

Reviewer in the Spotlight Banner
Virender Singh
Virender Singh, founder and editor of Bio Patrika and postdoc scholar at Case Western Reserve University

Lab product reviews can change the world by helping other scientists find the best equipment to accelerate their vital work. Here at SelectScience®, we are dedicated to promoting peer-to-peer communication that will make the difference – but we couldn’t do it without our esteemed reviewers. In this regular new feature, we put the spotlight on some of our most dedicated and impactful reviewers and find out what inspires them to keep sharing their knowledge with the global scientific community.

Virender Singh, founder and editor of Bio Patrika and postdoctoral scholar at Case Western Reserve University, is this week’s Reviewer in the Spotlight. With a keen interest in science communication, Virender shares how he got into his line of work, and what a typical day looks like. He also explains why unbiased reviews provide scientists with a great tool to make thoughtful decisions.

Tell me about your role and your current research

I am currently working as a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland. My research focuses on tau protein liquid-liquid phase separation and its aggregate polymorphism. We are using the recombinant full-length tau for studying phase separation in the presence of metal ions. We isolate tau aggregates from deceased Alzheimer’s disease patient brain tissue for studying aggregate polymorphism and perform cryo-EM to determine its high-resolution structure. Apart from research, I am also involved in science communication activities. I founded the Bio Patrika blog, a first-of-its-kind magazine focusing on Indian Science. Some of the most popular features of BioPatrika include Vigyan Patrika, an interview series highlighting the stories and motivation behind scientific discoveries. Other popular features are Margdarshak and BioKonnect, which include articles by leading Indian scientists, science career stories, updates in scientific research and available job openings in pharma and biotech industry/academia.

How did you get into your specific field of work?

After graduating from college with a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology, I joined India’s leading biopharmaceutical company called Biocon as a Quality Control Executive. I was team leader overseeing insulin and its analogs. While working on biotherapeutics, I came across an important issue of protein aggregation. To work on this interesting problem of protein aggregation, I left my job and joined the Ph.D. program at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, one of India’s premier institutes. My doctoral studies primarily focused on investigating the role of protein aggregation in neurodegenerative diseases like Huntington’s disease. I published many first-author research articles in peer-reviewed international journals and filed two Indian patents that were granted recently. After finishing my Ph.D., I continued working on the problem of protein aggregation in my current postdoctoral position.

Tell us what a typical day looks like for you

Virender Singh, Case Western University
Virender's research focuses on tau protein liquid-liquid phase separation and its aggregate polymorphism

Typically, I reach my lab at 9 AM and then review the work plan for the day. I begin working on the bench by 10 AM and try to finish experiments by 4 PM. After finishing on the bench work, I usually update the lab notebook and put notes for the next day's plan. If there is time in between experiments, I spend time reading recent literature.

Why do you think lab equipment reviews are important?

Lab equipment reviews are important for making important purchase decisions. Often scientific instruments are expensive and require prior information on specifications before placing an order. Honest and genuine reviews are a must to consider the pros and cons of any instrument. The sales representatives do not usually provide this information. Therefore, unbiased reviews published online on platforms like SelectScience provides scientists with a great tool to make thoughtful decisions.

What’s the most innovative piece of lab equipment you use?

The most innovative and advanced instrument I am currently using is the Cryo-Electron Microscope by Thermo Fisher Scientific. This is a highly advanced structural biology tool and provided a much-needed breakthrough to the neurodegenerative disease field. The structural information from cryo-EM structures of protein aggregates is now being exploited to design better therapeutics and diagnostic molecules. This is a step towards better disease management.

Virender Singh review Krios G3i Cryo-TEM

What would you like science to achieve?

The development of a therapeutic intervention for neurodegenerative diseases.

Virender shares his top 5 lab instruments

  • Thermo Scientific Krios G3i Cryo-TEM by Thermo Fisher Scientific

"Great for protein structure determination at high resolution."

  • Thermo Scientific LTQ Orbitrap XL by Thermo Fisher Scientific

"Perfect MS instrument for protein characterization."

  • Spark® Multimode Microplate Reader by Tecan

"Great for protein assays."

  • Waters Alliance™ HPLC System by Waters

"Best instrument for biotherapeutic analysis."

  • ÄKTAprime™ plus by Cytiva

"It streamlines purification and eases all trouble with sensitive proteins."

Would you like to feature in our Reviewer Spotlight? Write your review here to be in with a chance >>

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ProteomicsProteomics is the systemic bioinformatics study of proteins and amino acids, including their structure, size, function and identification. Tools used in proteomics include chromatography, blotting and gels, protein arrays, mass spectrometry and ELISA and associated analysis software. Analyzers and proteomic systems should be sensitive, high resolution, fast and may be automated for high-throughput.Protein PurificationProtein purification is a vital step in drug discovery, therapeutics, biotech and life science research. The purification process typically involves subcellular or membrane protein extraction with cell lysis kits, separation of proteins from cell debris by filtration or spin columns, and the isolation of proteins of interest from other proteins and impurities with affinity purification (including fusion protein tags and antibody binding proteins A, G and L), immunoprecipitation or chromatographic methods, such as ion exchange, size exclusion and immobilized metal affinity chromatography. All purification methods come in multiple formats for your laboratory needs, including agarose or magnetic beads, resins, columns and filter plates. Find the best protein purification equipment in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Protein CrystallographyProtein crystallization is the process of crystallizing purified proteins for 3D structure analysis by x-ray crystallography. The main methods of protein crystallization include sitting drop, hanging drop and microbatch. It is important to control parameters such as pH, temperature and concentration. Following crystallization, detectors and software are used for data collection and analysis.Biopharmaceutical AdvancesBiopharmaceutical advances follow the development of pharmaceuticals derived from biotechnology, also known as biotechnology medicines. Biopharmaceuticals may be produced from cell lines, plants, or microbial cells. Important considerations of biopharmaceutical use include application, cost, production process and purification.Protein QuantificationThe detection and quantification of proteins in a sample is vital across life sciences, pharmaceutical research and clinical diagnostics, and a variety of equipment is available to scientists to simplify the workflow. Proteins of interest can be easily labeled and detected on light-based detection instruments. Immunoassay kits allow you to identify a specific protein of interest and protein detection beads or antibody microarrays allow you to identify multiple specific proteins at once. Protein interactions and enzyme activity can also be monitored with protein-protein interaction assays. Additionally, the biophysical characterization of proteins is made easy with biokinetic analyzers. Find the best protein detection and quantification products in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Protein ExpressionProtein expression is the utilization of cell machinery for the synthesis of proteins and has become a critical tool in biotherapeutic, genomic, and proteomic research. Produce recombinant proteins with expression vectors in combination with a host cell suitable for high-level protein expression. For production of toxic proteins, consider cell-free expression vectors. Create and monitor post-translational modifications with protein modification kits. Find the best protein expression products in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.BiopharmaceuticalsBiopharmaceuticals are proteins and other compounds (such as nucleic acids) produced by living organisms that have uses as therapeutics or for in vivo diagnostics. The most well known example of a biopharmaceutical product, and the first to be approved for therapeutic use, was recombinant human insulin.Alzheimers ResearchAlzheimer�s disease is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by progressive memory loss and cognitive decline. Research focuses on understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of the disease, as well as developing effective treatments and diagnostic tools. Browse our peer-reviewed product directory to find the best Alzheimer�s research products, compare options, check reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.Protein StructureProtein structure refers to the three-dimensional arrangement of amino acids in proteins, determining their function. Understanding protein structure is key in drug discovery, enzymology, and molecular biology. Explore protein structure analysis tools in our peer-reviewed product directory; compare products, check reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.Molecular DiagnosticsMolecular diagnostics use an individual’s genetic code and gene expression to diagnose and monitor diseases. The technique is used increasingly in the field of infectious diseases and oncology, as well as areas such as coagulation, HLA typing and pharmacogenomics. Molecular diagnostics plays a pivotal role in personalized medicine.TherapeuticsTherapeutics are treatments designed to alleviate or cure diseases. These include pharmaceuticals, biologics, and gene therapies, which work by targeting specific disease mechanisms. Advances in personalized medicine and biologics offer new hope for patients with conditions that were previously difficult to treat. Browse our peer-reviewed product directory to find therapeutic solutions for various diseases; compare products, check user reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.NeurodegenerationNeurodegeneration refers to the progressive deterioration of the structure and function of the nervous system, often seen in diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Research focuses on early detection and potential therapies. Explore neurodegeneration research tools in our peer-reviewed product directory; compare products, check reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.ReviewsReviewer in the SpotlightProtein BiologyThe analysis of protein expression, identity and function is vital for many areas of life science research and drug discovery. Some of the most commonly used techniques in protein analysis include Western blotting, electrophoresis and mass spectrometry.

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